Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation最新文献

{"title":"Effects of dual-task mode brain-computer interface based on motor imagery and virtual reality on balance and attention in patients with stroke: a randomized controlled pilot trial.","authors":"Chunli Wan, Qiyuan Zhang, Yu Qiu, Wenting Zhang, Yao Nie, Shuyi Zeng, Jian Wang, Xiaowen Shen, Cui Yu, Xixi Wu, Yuting Zhang, Yongqiang Li","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01730-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01730-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Brain-computer interface (BCI) has been shown to be beneficial in improving lower limb motility in stroke, but their effectiveness on balance and attention is unclear. In addition, current BCIs are mostly in single-task mode. The BCI system used in this study was based on a dual-task model of motor imagery (MI) and virtual reality (VR). Previous studies have demonstrated that dual-task seems to be beneficial for balance and attention. The purpose of this study was to validate the effects of MI-VR-based dual-task BCI on balance and attention in participants with stroke.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This pilot, single-blind, randomized controlled trial involved 38 stroke participants, randomized to the BCI (BCI pedaling training) or control group (conventional pedaling). Both groups trained 20 min daily, 5 days a week for 4 weeks, alongside conventional rehabilitation. Thirty participants completed the program (mean age: 56.56 years, mean disease duration: 4.48 months). Assessments were made before and after 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and secondary outcomes included the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Fugl-Meyer Lower Extremity Assessment (FMA-LE), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and average attention index.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>30 participants completed the study (14 in the BCI and 16 in the control group). The retention rates were 73.68% and 84.21% respectively. No adverse events were reported in this study and participants did not report any discomfort. The changes in BBS, TUGT and SDMT values in the BCI group were significantly better than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Average attention index of the BCI group's participants grew with the number of training sessions, and there was a significant difference comparing pre- to post-treatment (p < 0.05). The value of BBS change is linearly correlated with the value of SDMT change (F = 8.778, y = 0.59x + 1.90, P < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study initially showed positive effects of dual-task mode of BCI pedalling training on balance and attention in stroke participants. However, given the preliminary nature of this study and its limitations, the results need to be treated with caution. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR2300071522. Registered on 2023/05/17.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"187"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12395916/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144957596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the orthotic effect of a passive gravity-compensated exoskeletal device on upper-limb function in people with multiple sclerosis: a pilot cross-sectional study.","authors":"Thomas Bowman, Alessandro Torchio, Ilaria Carpinella, Tito Dinon, Erica Grange, Rachele Di Giovanni, Claudio Marcello Solaro, Davide Cattaneo, Marco Caimmi","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01715-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01715-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder causing lower and upper-limb (UL) impairments and significantly affecting independence. Current assistive technologies for UL rehabilitation in People with MS (PwMS) rely on actuated robotic systems, which present high costs and complexity. Passive gravity-compensated exoskeletons represent a promising alternative; however, their functional benefits remain underexplored. This study aimed to redesign and evaluate the orthotic effect of a passive gravity-compensated exoskeleton device in supporting upper-limb function in PwMS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This pilot cross-sectional study presents two phases: (I) redesigning an existing passive exoskeleton to improve usability and adaptability; (II) evaluating the orthotic effect and usability of the redesigned exoskeleton in a cohort of PwMS. Functional performance was assessed using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and a modified Box and Block Test (mBBT) under Exoskeleton Supported and Exoskeleton Unsupported conditions. Kinematic parameters were extracted from three instrumented ARAT items, and usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Phase I led to an iterative refinement of the exoskeleton, incorporating feedback from three PwMS and two therapists. In Phase II, thirteen PwMS (age: 59 [55-69] years; 10 males; EDSS: 7.5 [6.5-8.0] points) with different UL disabilities were recruited. Four participants with severe impairments increased the UL movement (orthotic effect) by 35.8% [29.0%-41.9%] and 24.1% [14.9%-33.3%] in the vertical and anteroposterior direction, with 8 [6.5-9.25] points improvements in the overall ARAT. Conversely, three individuals with mild UL disability needed 2.63 [2.17-3.45] seconds more to complete the instrumented ARAT items increasing the Jerk Index by 0.53[0.51-0.68]. The overall ARAT decreased by 7 [6-8] points and they transported 10[9-18] blocks less in the mBBT. The remaining participants with an FSS > 5.5 points, transported 9.5 [8-11.25] blocks more in the mBBT. The median SUS score was 70[62.5-70].</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Collaboration between therapists and engineers was key in refining the exoskeleton during phase I. Phase II results supported its positive orthotic effect for PwMS, particularly for those with moderate to severe UL impairments and fatigue. However, for individuals with mild deficits, the device may alter movement dynamics, affecting execution quality. Future improvements should focus on reducing bulk for clinical use. Additionally, studies on larger populations are needed to validate these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"186"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12382219/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144957633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multimodal assessment of a BCI system for stroke rehabilitation integrating motor imagery and motor attempts: a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Juan He, Ziwen Yuan, Lu Quan, Hang Xi, Jing Guo, Dan Zhu, Mingfang Chen, Bin Yang, Zhengzhe Cui, Shiqiang Zhu, Jin Qiao","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01723-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12984-025-01723-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology based on motor imagery (MI) or motor attempt (MA) has shown promise in enhancing motor function recovery in stroke patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of BCI-based rehabilitation in improving motor function through multimodal assessment, and to explore the potential neuroplastic changes resulting from this intervention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial with multimodal assessment to evaluate the efficacy of a BCI system for enhancing motor recovery. A total of 48 ischemic stroke patients completed the study (25 BCI, 23 control). The BCI group used an 8-electrode electroencephalogram (EEG) system, a virtual reality training module, and a rehabilitation training robot for real-time motor intention-based feedback. The control group used identical BCI devices but without displaying real-time data and feedback. Participants underwent 20-minute upper and lower limb training sessions for two weeks. Motor function (Fugl-Meyer Extremity scale), electromyography (EMG), and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) were assessed pre- and post-intervention.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The BCI group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in upper extremity motor function compared to the control group (ΔFMA-UE: 4.0 vs. 2.0, p = 0.046). EEG results of the BCI group showed a significant decrease in both DAR (p = 0.031) and DABR (p < 0.001) compared to baseline. EMG analysis revealed that BCI treatment resulted in significant increases in deltoid and bicipital muscle activity during both shoulder and elbow flexion movements compared to baseline (p < 0.01). fNIRS results indicated enhanced functional connectivity and activation in key motor-related brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, supplementary motor area, and primary motor cortex in the BCI group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>BCI-based rehabilitation using an attention-motor dual-task paradigm significantly improved upper limb motor function and enhanced motor and cognitive network activity in stroke patients. Multimodal assessment supports the potential of BCI rehabilitation as an effective tool for leveraging neuroplasticity and promoting motor recovery.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"185"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12379318/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144957405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Individualized transcranial direct current stimulation combined with foot core exercise improves foot and ankle sensorimotor function and static postural control in individuals with chronic ankle instability.","authors":"Chuyi Zhang, Songlin Xiao, Bin Shen, Zhen Xu, Jianglong Zhan, Jingjing Li, Junhong Zhou, Weijie Fu","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01721-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01721-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the effects of four-week individualized transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with foot core exercise (FCE) on foot and ankle sensorimotor function and postural control in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-four CAI individuals were randomly assigned to a tDCS combined with FCE group (tDCS group, n = 17) and a sham stimulation combined with FCE group (control group, n = 17). All participants received individualized stimulation combined with FCE and sham stimulation combined with FCE, respectively, three times a week for 20 min per session over four weeks. Ankle strength, joint position sense, and static and dynamic postural control were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the control group and baseline, individualized tDCS combined with FCE significantly increased the relative peak torque of plantarflexion, reduced the absolute error of ankle eversion position sense, and decreased the average sway velocity of the center of pressure during single-leg standing with eyes closed in CAI individuals (p values ranging from < 0.001 to 0.016).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Four weeks of individualized tDCS combined with FCE can effectively improve foot and ankle sensorimotor function and static postural control in CAI individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"182"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12369118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144957590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility of post-stroke hand rehabilitation supported by a soft robotic hand orthosis in-clinic and at-home.","authors":"Natalie Tanczak, Tegan Kate Plunkett, Sijie Lin, Lorena Kuenzler, Megan Lau, Wee Keong Christopher Kuah, Chwee Yin Ng, Roger Gassert, Karen Chua, Olivier Lambercy","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01717-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01717-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability in the world. Upper limb impairments are common post-stroke, with nearly half of those initially affected continuing to live with long-term functional limitations, impacting their independence and quality of life. Task-specific, intensive therapy has been shown to promote recovery; however, achieving this dose is resource-intensive and logistically challenging. Robotic hand orthoses (RHOs) are a promising approach to support functional rehabilitation regardless of location, thus providing high-dose therapy with minimal additional burden on the clinics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We evaluated the use of the RELab tenoexo 2.0, a soft RHO, in a two-phase feasibility study supporting functional hand training in persons after chronic stroke. Participants (n = 8) first used the device to complete nine training sessions supervised by occupational therapists over 3 weeks in-clinic, then brought the device home to continue the training to complete 2 weeks of unsupervised training. Feasibility was assessed with therapy dose (repetitions and time) and adherence to the suggested at-home rehabilitation program. Functional improvements were tracked using clinical assessments across time points. Finally, usability evaluations provided insights into users' perceptions of the device.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During the in-clinic phase, participants completed an average of 809 ± 317 RHO supported repetitions over 521 ± 130 min. At home, this increased to 1293 ± 948 repetitions over 486 ± 125 min across an average of 11.75 ± 5.4 sessions. Across the whole intervention, participant's mean Action Research Arm Test score increased by 5.0 ± 4.4, whereas the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity score increased by 6.0 ± 2.5. These improvements were retained after one month. The usability was rated as good, with a mean System Usability Scale rating of 72.5, and a mean Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology 2.0 score of 3.94/5.0.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study shows that the RHO can serve as a viable rehabilitation tool for functional hand training after chronic stroke across the continuum of care. High-dose training, both in-clinic and at home, demonstrated the feasibility of the device and intervention, with meaningful clinical improvements highlighting its therapeutic potential as a training strategy. High adherence rates and positive usability indicate strong user acceptance.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>NCT06412237.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"183"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12369101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144957638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dose-response effectiveness of focused shockwave therapy on ultrasonographic muscular properties in patients with stroke exhibiting ankle spasticity.","authors":"Shu-Mei Yang, Hung-Hsi Lin, Yen-Hua Chen, You-Lin Lu, Chueh-Hung Wu, Wen-Shiang Chen, Meng-Ting Lin","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01724-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01724-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Post-stroke spasticity (PSS) in the ankle plantar flexors leads to abnormal gait, increased energy expenditure, and a higher risk of falls. Ultrasonographic measures, such as muscle fascicle length (MFL) and pennation angle (PA), provide insight into muscle changes associated with spasticity. This study aimed to investigate the dose-dependent effects of focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on ultrasonographic muscle properties and clinical outcomes in patients with PSS of the ankle plantar flexors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This post hoc analysis was based on a double-blind, randomized controlled trial investigating different ESWT doses for post-stroke ankle spasticity treatment. A total of 39 patients with PSS of the ankle plantar flexors were randomized into two groups: the double-dose ESWT group received 4,000 focused shockwave pulses per session, while the control ESWT group received 2,000 pulses per session. Both groups received four ESWT sessions over a two-week intervention period, followed by a 24-week follow-up period for outcome assessments. Outcome measures included ultrasonographic assessments of MFL, PA, and strain elastography, as well as clinical evaluations using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS), passive range of motion (PROM), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and Barthel Index at baseline, and at 1, 4, 12, and 24 weeks post-treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No significant within-group changes in PA or MFL were observed for either ESWT group over the 24-week period. Generalized estimation equation analysis showed no significant group effects on PA, MFL, or strain elastography. However, when analyzing all participants, a significant time-related improvement in MFL was identified. In the double-dose ESWT group, MFL was significantly correlated with MTS, PROM, and TUG test, while PA was significantly correlated with MAS. Given that this was a post hoc analysis, these results should be interpreted conservatively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While PA and MFL did not show significant differences between groups, the double-dose ESWT group exhibited improved clinical outcomes linked to MFL. These findings suggest that increased ESWT dosage may enhance muscle architecture and function in stroke rehabilitation.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"184"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12372182/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144957658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Don't put words in my mouth: speech perception can falsely activate a brain-computer interface.","authors":"Anouck Schippers, Mariska J Vansteensel, Zac V Freudenburg, Shiyu Luo, Nathan E Crone, Nick F Ramsey","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01689-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12984-025-01689-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Recent studies have demonstrated that speech can be decoded from brain activity which in turn can be used for brain-computer interface (BCI)-based communication. It is however also known that the area often used as a signal source for speech decoding BCIs, the sensorimotor cortex (SMC), is also engaged when people perceive speech, thus making speech perception a potential source of false positive activation of the BCI. The current study investigated if and how speech perception may interfere with reliable speech BCI control.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recorded high-density electrocorticography (HD-ECoG) data from five subjects while they performed a speech perception and a speech production task. We first evaluated whether speech perception and production activated the SMC. Second, we trained a support-vector machine (SVM) on the speech production data (including rest). To test the occurrence of false positives, this decoder was then tested on speech perception data where every perception segment that was classified as a produced syllable rather than rest was considered a false positive. Finally, we investigated whether perceived speech could be distinguished from produced speech and rest.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results show that both the perception and production of speech activate the SMC. In addition, we found that decoders that are highly reliable at detecting self-produced syllables from brain signals may generate false positive BCI activations during the perception of speech and that it is possible to distinguish perceived speech from produced speech and rest, with high accuracy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We conclude that speech perception can interfere with reliable BCI control, and that efforts to limit the occurrence of false positives during daily-life BCI use should be implemented in BCI design to increase the likelihood of successful adoptation by end users.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"181"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12362870/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144883036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Smartphone app to support goal setting in pediatric rehabilitation: app development, usability and acceptability study.","authors":"V Vannier, R Bailly, E Fily, A Le Gallo, L Guiheneuf, D Jacquemot, E Dheilly, S Brochard, C Pons","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01713-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12984-025-01713-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Setting treatment goals is the core of the pediatric rehabilitation process. The participation of the children and their families is foundational to this approach. Goal setting would benefit from being standardized using formal procedures and guidelines. This study aimed to develop a smartphone app to guide rehabilitation professionals through the whole collaborative goal-setting process with children who have physical health related disabilities and their families and to explore its usability and acceptability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>There were 3 phases of app development. In phase 1, we analyzed the literature to establish key app components. Then, we worked with a development company to build a prototype. In phase 2, 7 rehabilitation professionals evaluated the usability of each function, and we made improvements according to their feedback. In phase 3, 14 rehabilitation professionals tested the app in clinical practice with 53 children. The usability and acceptability of the app were evaluated using standardized questionnaires (System Usability Scale (SUS), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)) and through semi-structured interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>According to the literature, effective goal setting in pediatric rehabilitation involves understanding the child's preferences and needs, employing validated methodologies such as the SMART model to formulate goals, engaging children and families as collaborators, and fostering inter-professional communication. The \"Kid'EM-app\" was built on these principles. It comprises two interfaces: \"Kid'EM-appVPro,\" designed for professionals to guide them in this practice, and \"Kid'EM-appVFam,\" intended for families to collaborate after professional invitation. The phase 2 results showed that all the functions were used except chat/file sharing. The phase 3 results showed that the app was usable in clinical practice (mean SUS = 70.9/100, SD = 10.9; mean TAM ease of use = 71.4/100, SD = 15.1). The application aligned with the values of the professionals who seek to involve children more in their care.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The \"Kid'EM-app\" is an all-in-one acceptable and usable solution designed to guide rehabilitation professionals through each aspect of goal setting. Consideration of both feedback from the field and scientific evidence enabled to us to identify content requirements and implementation barriers that must be overcome to facilitate use of the \"Kid'EM-app\" in clinical practice and accelerate knowledge translation.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"179"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12363116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144873639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Automated planning and scheduling in robot-aided rehabilitation: a review.","authors":"Christian Tamantini, Alessandro Umbrico, Andrea Orlandini","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01710-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12984-025-01710-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Robotic systems are increasingly utilized in rehabilitation contexts, offering tailored support for physical and cognitive functions. Enabling these systems to autonomously personalize treatments entails a critical role for automated planning and scheduling methodologies. However, a comprehensive review to map the control architectures of robotic rehabilitation systems that leverage automated planning for long-term customization is lacking, addressing a key gap in the literature. To bridge such a gap, this review systematically analyzed 26 studies retrieved from scientific databases after a careful selection performed following PRISMA guidelines. The search focused on works employing automated planning in robot-aided rehabilitation across physical and cognitive domains, as well as multi-user robotic environments. Papers were selected based on predefined criteria, including relevance to automated planning, peer-reviewed publication, and a focus on robotic systems in rehabilitation. The discussion highlights the primary similarities and differences in control architectures, adaptation strategies, and validation approaches among the reviewed systems. This review emphasizes the potential of automated planning to enhance personalization and adaptability in robotic rehabilitation, offering a foundation for more efficient and patient-centered therapeutic solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"180"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12363123/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144873638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virtual reality-assisted rehabilitation for postoperative C5 palsy: a pilot exploratory randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Kyung-Soo Suk, Jinyoung Park, Taeyeon Choi, Byung Ho Lee, Yongjin Ahn, Sunung Yun, Si Young Park, Hak Sun Kim, Seoung-Hwan Moon, Ji-Won Kwon","doi":"10.1186/s12984-025-01716-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12984-025-01716-7","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;C5 palsy is a debilitating complication that may occur after posterior cervical decompression or fusion surgery, characterized by acute deltoid and biceps weakness. While most cases resolve spontaneously, prolonged dysfunction imposes significant physical, psychological, and socioeconomic burdens. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising adjunct in neurorehabilitation, offering immersive environments that promote engagement and motor learning. However, its application in postoperative C5 palsy rehabilitation remains underexplored.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This single-center randomized controlled trial was conducted from January to December 2023 at a tertiary academic hospital. Adult patients (≥ 20 years) who developed new-onset C5 palsy after posterior cervical fusion were enrolled. C5 palsy was defined as a ≥ 2-grade drop in shoulder flexion or abduction strength postoperatively. Patients were randomly assigned to either a control group that received standard postoperative rehabilitation or a VR-assisted group that received the same standard rehabilitation plus an additional VR-based rehabilitation program. VR rehabilitation included interactive, game-based shoulder exercises delivered via head-mounted displays during initial hospitalization and follow-ups at 3, 6, 12, and 24 weeks. Primary outcomes were surface electromyography-derived maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), %MVIC, and fatigue index (FI) of the deltoid muscles. Secondary outcomes included the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale, Neck Disability Index (NDI), EuroQoL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data were collected preoperatively and at each postoperative visit. Ten patients (VR = 4, Control = 6) completed the study.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Final analysis included data from 4 patients in the VR group and 6 patients in the control group. The VR group demonstrated significantly greater efficiency in muscle activation, evidenced by lower %MVIC values at 24 weeks during both shoulder flexion (median 1.0 vs. 1.5; p = 0.025) and abduction (0.9 vs. 1.8; p = 0.014). Improvements in patient-reported quality of life (EQ-5D, p = 0.032) and arm pain reduction (VAS, p = 0.048) were observed. Depression scores (HADS-D) and anxiety scores (HADS-A) also trended lower in the VR group, particularly at 24 weeks (HADS-D: 4.0 vs. 9.5; p = 0.067). Functional metrics, including maximum arm elevation (from 90.0 cm to 145.0 cm) and apple placement count (from 25 to 55 per session), improved markedly in the VR group.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;VR-assisted rehabilitation may contribute to improved neuromuscular efficiency, pain reduction, and psychological well-being in patients with postoperative C5 palsy. These preliminary findings suggest that immersive VR could be a promising adjunct in postoperative spinal rehabilitation, warranting further investigation in large","PeriodicalId":16384,"journal":{"name":"Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation","volume":"22 1","pages":"178"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12345129/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144847085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}